Kenneth McKellar & Adrian Boult: Handel - Recitatives and Arias

Georg Friedrich Handel
01. 'Frondi tenere - Ombra mai fu' from Serse, HWV.40
02. 'Love in her eyes sits playing' from Acis and Galatea, HWV.49
03. 'Silent worship. Did you not hear my lady?' from Tolomeo, HWV.25
04. 'Deeper and deeper still - Waft her, angels' from Jephtha, HWV.70
05. 'Where'er you walk' from Semele HWV.58
06. 'Thanks to my brethren - How vain is man' from Judas Maccabaeus, HWV.63
07. 'My Arms! Against This Gorgias - Sound an alarm' from Judas Maccabaeus, HWV.63
08. 'Comfort ye, my people - Ev'ry valley shall be exalted' from Messiah, HWV.56
09. 'All they that see him - He trusted In God' from Messiah, HWV.56*#
10. 'Thy rebuke hath broken his heart - Behold and see' from Messiah, HWV.56*
11. 'He was cut off - But thou didst not leave his soul In hell' from Messiah, HWV.56*#
12. 'Unto which of the angels - Let all the angels' from Messiah, HWV.56*
13. 'He that dwelleth In heaven - Thou shalt break them' from Messiah, HWV.56*
14. 'Then shall be brought to pass - O death where is thy sting - But thanks be to God' from Messiah, HWV.56*#^

Kenneth McKellar- tenor; Orchestra of Royal Opera House Covent Garden and London Symphony Orchestra*, London Symphony Chorus# conducted by Adrian Boult (with ^Grace Brumbry- mezzo)

Decca Eloquence Australia 4804915 (recorded November 1959 & May 1960 and May & August 1961*; this CD release 2011)

(CD-rip; flacs and cover scans, no booklet or inlay card)

Recording venue: Kingsway Hall, London
Recording engineer: Kenneth Wilkinson.
Producers:Christopher Raeburn & Erik Smith and James Walker*

Anybody who only knows of Kenneth McKellar from his later days as a professional Scotsman and doyen of White Heather Club may be amazed at the fine tenor voice displayed here; with virtually no vibrato or pitch uncertainty. Boult considered him to be 'the best Handel singer of the century' and insisted on having him in his second recording of Messiah, made in 1961. Part of the success of these recordings is Sir Adrian's clear and stylish conducting and Kenneth Wilkinson's excellent recordings. Although undoubtedly now old fashioned, they will give great enjoyment to anybody who doesn't insist on period instruments and in HIP style for all their Handel listening.

The first eight tracks, made with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, were first issued on Decca LP with the title 'Famous Handel Songs and Arias', later as 'Handel Great Tenor Arias' and 'Great Handel Songs and Arias'. They were first issued on CD as part of a  Decca Australia twofer collection 'Music of Inspiration'. A subsequent international CD release of  seven of the eight tracks were included as a fill-up to Sir Adrian's earlier mono recording of Messiah on Universal's late and un-lamented Belart label. Production values were shoddy with one track left out, the wrong orchestra attributed (London Philharmonic) and no discographic details provided. (For anybody who does torrents, this Belart set has recently appeared on Rutracker.)

In the subsequent CD issue on Eloquence with the prosaic title 'Kenneth McKellar sings Handel', the last six tracks which have been added for this release are extracted from the Eloquence release of Boult's second Messiah recording, issued at the same time. (This can also be found on Rutracker c/w Acis and Galatea.) Most add little to the original eight excepting 'He was cut off' which was an alternative take with McKellar singing rather than the soprano, Joan Sutherland; the latter used in the 'official' issue. This (and the Eloquence Messiah) is its first ever issue.

Download from MEGA.